L.Opdyke French Aeroplanes Before the Great War (Schiffer)

Deleted by request of (c)Schiffer Publishing

Witzig-Liore-Dutilleul

WLD 1: The first WLD was shown in 1908, a fragile-looking biplane with overhung top wings, long uncovered nacelle ahead of the wings carrying a single forward elevator; a large floppy rectangular tailplane with 2 rectangular rudders fitted below it with 2 tailwheels attached. Between the tailplane and the top wing were set, at graded height and interval, 2 short horizontal panels the span of the tailplane; the aeroplane was supported on a tall undercarriage structure with 2 trailing wheels. By the time the wings were attached, the single forward elevator had been replaced by a biplane cell, and the landing gear legs and pivoting girders for the wheel supports had been changed, with the wheels forward instead of castering aft. But with this arrangement the whole structure sagged visibly.

It was subsequently modified further, with a heavier supporting box structure for the aft fuselage, and various combinations of the supplementary rear panels; the wheels once again were reversed, to trail aft.

THE WITZIG-LIORE-DUTILLEUL AEROPLANE. - This view of the Witzig machine, which is taken from behind, gives an excellent idea of the en escalier arrangement of the main planes. It is a little difficult to classify this particular aeroplane under any of the accepted types.